Fire-alarm.



No. 663.767. Patented nec. ||,'|9oo. R. c.'L|v|NGs\ToN.

FIRE ALARM. (Application fixed'mr. 24. 1900.,

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2v.

JW V

y 77m Jlllomcys.

` UNTTED STATns PATENT Trice.

REASON O. LIVINGSTON, OF SPRING VALLEY, MINNESOTA.

FIRE-ALARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 663,767, dated December1 1, 1900.

Application lerl March 24, 1900. Serial No. 10,071. KNO model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, REASON C. LIVINGSTON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Spring Valley, in the county of Fillmore and Stateof Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Fire-Alarm, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to fire-alarm apparatus in general, and moreparticularly to the class of fire-alarm telegraphs in which the alarm issent in to a central station through the medium of an automaticcircuit-closer which governs an electric circuit including the properand well-known instru ments at the central station.

One object of the invention is, primarily, to produce a construction ofautomatic circuitcloser which,while possessing great efficiency, will beextremely cheap, and, furthermore, will be so simple in its constructionthat it will not be easily susceptible to disorder and may be quicklyand easily set and released at the proper times.

A further object of the invention is to so arrange and house thecircuit-closer that access thereto may be had by breaking a glass in theclosure and in which a new glass may be readily put in place.

An additional object of the invention is to so arrange the parts thatthey will be readily accessible, Whereas under ordinary circumstancesthe mechanism Will be completely concealed and will remain so even afterthe glass has been broken.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specication, and in which likenumerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views,Figure 1 is a perspective view of the complete device, showing the doorof the casing opened for access to the mechanism of the construction.Fig. 2 is an elevation of the mechanism of the circuit-closer, which iscarried on the inner face of the door, which is shown Within the casingin Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the construction shown in Fig.2. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view showing the rock-shaft Whichcarries the detent, the governing-arm, and the release-arm. Fig. 5 is aperspective View showing in detail the rock-shaft and thecircuit-closing arm and shaft-rocking arm carried thereby.

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view showing the push-rod for releasingthe detent.

Referring now to the drawings, the mechanism of the present invention iscontained in a box or casing 10, the upper end of which is preferablyrounded, as shown, to facilitate the shedding of Water, and which boX orcasing is adapted to be secured upon a post or other suitable support bymeans of screws passed through its back or in any other suitable manner.

The circuit-closing mechanism is mounted directly upon a board 1l, whichis in the forni of an inner door having hinged connection with a sideWall of the box, so that the door may be moved into and out of the boxand simultaneously reversed. Hence when the door is moved into the boxthe mechanism is concealed and protected, and when it is moved out ofthe box its inner face is turned outwardly and the mechanism is exposed,as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The circuit-closing mechanism comprises a train of gearing which ismounted between the usual frame-plates 12 and 13 after the manner of anordinary clock mechanism. Mounted in bearings in the plates 12 and 13 isa main shaft 14, upon which is loosely mounted a master-gear 15,carrying a pawl 16, which coperates with a ratchet-Wheel 17 upon awinding-drum 18, which is fixed upon the shaft. The outer end of theshaft 14 projects through the front plate 13 and is squared for thereception of the usual Winding-key, and to the Winding-drum is fixed oneend of a cord 19, which passes upwardly and over a pulley 20 and has aweight 21 on its opposite end. The pulley 20 is mounted upon a shaftcarried by a plate or ledge 22 upon the door o r board 11 above themechanism, the plate or ledge having a brace 24, as shown, to preventdisplacement.

The master-gear 15 has a plurality of pins 25 projecting from its frontface, and these pins are adapted to engage and depress the free end of alever 26, which is fixed to a rock-shaft 27, journaled in the plates 12and 13, the lever being held yieldably in the path of movement of thesepins by means of a helical spring 28, which encircles the shaft and oneend of which is attached to the shaft,

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while the opposite end is `attached to the frame-plate 13. Alsofixed tothe rock-shaft 27 is a circuit-closing arm 29, which extends downwardlyfrom the shaft for coperation with an electric terminal plate 30, whichis mounted upon a block 31 on the board 11. The plate has aconductor 31aleading therefrom and forming one conductor of the alarmcircuit, theopposite conductor consisting of a wire 32, which is wrapped `around thecontact-arm and is then passed through transverse perforations in 'thehead 34 of the arm, so that said wire makes direct contact with thecontact-plate. Thus as the master-gear rotates the pins alternatelydepress and release the lever 26, the engagement of the pins with thelever acting to move the contactarm from the contact-plate, whereas whenthe pins release the lever the contact-arm moves to bring the wire intocontact with the contact-plate, thus closing the circuit intermittently,or rather breaking the circuit intermittently, for the reason that thespring 2 acts to hold the contact-arm normally in contact with thecontact-plate. It will therefore y be readily seen that in order tocause the mechanism to always send in the same predetermined signal(represented by breaks in the circuit) it is only necessary toproportion the degree of rotation of the master-gear and the number ofpins in operative positions with respect to the operating-lever 26. For

this' purpose there are employed two gearwheels, of which one wheel 35is a strikingwheel and is loosely mounted upon the shaft 14, while theother gear-wheel 36 is mounted upon ka shaft 37, jonrnaled in the plates12 and 13 above the shaft 14. The wheel 36 is in the form of agear-wheel and is fixed upon the shaft, said shaft having also a pinion33 lfixed thereon, which meshes with the master-gear, so that the gear36 is rotated by the action of the weight 21. Conversely, if therotation of the gear 36 be stopped the rotation of the master-gear willbe stopped, and hence in order to limit the degree of rotation of themaster-gear to give the desired number of depressions to the vlever 26it is only necessary to limit the number of rotations of the gear 36.This limitation of the number of rotations of the gear-wheel 36 iseffected through the medium of the strikingwheel 35, which has a limiteddegree of rotation, the wheel 35 being rotated from the wheel 36 byengagement of a face-pin 39, which is carried by wheel 36 and engageswith a singletooth at a time of the wheel 35, so that for each rotationof the wheel 36 the striking wheel 35 is advanced one tooth. When theWheel 35 reaches the limit of its rotation, the wheel 36 is of coursestopped, which in turn stops the master-gear. The wheel 35 has alwaysthe same degrees of angular motion, and hence the master-gear is alwaysgiven the same degree of angular motion, and the same number of pins arealways engaged with the lever 26 to always break the circuit the samenumber of times and send in the same signal. The angular movement of thestriking-wheel 35 is regulated by the length of a slot 40, which is cutin the-periphery thereof, and in this slot lies one end of a bent plate41, attached to the board 11.

In order to take the strain of stopping the mechanism from the pin 39,and to thus save wear and tear upon the pin and the teeth of the Wheel35, a detent-disk 42 is fixed upon the shaft 37 and has a radial slot inone flattened side thereof, this slot being positioned to receive thelaterally-turned end of a detent-rod 43, which is xed to a rock-shaft44, mounted in the plates 12 and 13. As the end of the detent, however,tends to fall into this radial slot at each rotation of the detent-disk,provision must be made to prevent this action until the wheel 36 hasrotated the proper num ber of times. This result is accomplished byattaching a second rod or arm 46 to the rock-shaft 44, the outer end ofwhich is bent downwardly and formed with a knife-edge, which dropsbetween the teeth of the striking-Wheel 35 each time the rod 43 reachesthe flattened or cam edge of the detent-disk, and the knife-edge is ofsuch length as to engage the periphery of the wheel 35 before the arm orrod 43 canmove into engagement with the slot of the detent-disk. When,however, the wheel 36 has rotated a proper number of times and the wheelhas been correspondingly moved to the limit of its motion, the knifeedgeof rod 46 enters a deepened radial slot 47 of striking-wheel 35, thisslot. having a depth, as shown, which is sufficient to permit arm 43 toengage the slot of the detentdisk. At the opposite limit of its rotationthe wheel 35 has a second radial slot, as shown at 49, so that when thewheel 35 is at the point of its initial operative movement theknife-edge may enter the slot and permit arm 43 to engage the slot ofthe detent-disk and hold the mechanism in its set position. The speed ofrotation of the parts is regulated by a fan 50, mounted upon a shaft 51,journaled in the plates 12 and 13, and this shaft is rotated through themedium of a pinion 52, which is in engagement with wheel 36.

In order to lift the arms 43 and 46 to initially release the mechanismto permit it to operate as hereinafter described, a lever 55 is fixed tothe rock-shaft 44 and lies in the path of movement of a cam 56 upon apushrod 57, which is slidably mounted in plates 12 and 13 and has itsouter end provided with a knob 58, lying at the outer side of the board0r door 11.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows: The weight 21 being raisedby winding up the cordon the winding-drum 18, the wheels 35 and 36 areadjusted so that arm 43 will engage with the slot in the detent-disk andthe knife-edge of rod or arm 46 will engage with the slot 49. With theparts in this position they will remain at rest. The rod 57 is thenpushed inwardly, so that its cam IOO IIO

56 passes under and engages wi th the lever 55, operating said lever toraise the arms 43 and 46 from the slots. The action of the weightthrough the medium of the cord on the winding-drum causes the severalwheels to rotate and the striking-wheel 35 is advanced step by step inthe direction of termination of its operative movement, the cam edge ofthe detent-disk in riding under the turned end of arm 43 acting to raisesaid arm and correspondingly move the rock-shaft to raise the knife-edgeof arm 46 from the teeth of striking-wheel 35. This operation of theparts continues until the Wheel 35 has reached the limit of itsoperative movement, When the knife-edge enters the slot 47 to permit armor rod 43 to engage the slot of the detent-disk, and the mechanism isstopped.

The wheel 35 is loosely mounted on shaft .14, and in resetting themechanism it is only necessary to operate shaft 44 to raise theknifeedge from the slot 47,'when wheel-35 may be rotated reversely toposition the parts as originally. The drop of the Weight may besufficient to insure several operations of the mechanism with oneWinding.

The formation of the slot 40 and the placing of the cooperating plate 4lpermits the accurate adjustment of the striking-wheel 35 to set themechanism, and it Will of course be understood that by lengthening theslot 40 and further and correspondingly separating slots 47 and 49 themaster-Wheel may be given a greater degree of angular motion and thecircuit broken a greater number of times. Furthermore, the pins 25 maybe positioned to ring different combinations and various modificationsof the mechanism may be made.

Access to the push-rod 57 is had through an opening in the outside cover60 of the box or casing l0, this cover or door being attached by meansof hinges and having a hasp and lock, as shown. The opening of the dooris normally closed by means of a glass 61, which is held removably inplace by a bottom strip 62, which incloses the lower edge of the plate,and by side strips which lie against the side edges of the glass plate.The upper edge of the glass plate is engaged by a turn-button 63, asshown. When it is desired to sendin the alarm, the glass is broken andthe push-rod is operated. The conductor-Wires are led outwardly througha curved pipe 65, Which is mounted upon the Lipper end of the box andhas its free end disposed downwardly, whereby rain-water and othermoisture that may run down the wires will not gain access to the box.

In practice the mechanism may be placed in a box of any specific stylepreferred, and any suitable materials and proportions may be employedfor the various parts Without departing from the spirit of theinvention. Furthermore, it will be noted that should the rod 57 be drawnoutwardly after being pushed inwardly to send in an alarm and after thealarm has been sent in the portion 56 Will again engage the rod 55 torelease the mechanism. At this time, however, the striking- Wheel 35 isat the limit of its motion, owing to the engagement of the stop 4l withthe notch or recess 40, and hence when wheel 36 begins to rotate the pin39 moves into engagement with striking-wheel 35 and is held therebyagainst further movement, and a second alarm cannot be sent in until thebox is unlocked and the apparatus again set, the striking-Wheel 35 beingmoved toits initial position.

The portion 24, while acting as abrace of the part 22, acts primarily toconne the leading-in Wires 60 and 61, which lead from the line to theinstrument and are connected at their inner ends to posts and 7l, towhich the Wires 32 and 3l:L are attached. The keeper or brace 24 islocated on the rear face of the inner door and adjacent the hinge edgethereof and prevents the slack of the wires from dropping down and intothe mechanism when the door is closed, this slack being necessary topermit opening of the door,as will be readily understood.

What is claimed isl. A device of the class described comprising a trainof gearing including a Wheel provided with pins, a circuit-closerincluding a movable member lying in the path of the pins for engagementand operation thereby, a detent disk operatively connected with thetrain, a detent for engaging the detent-disk to stop the operation ofthe train, a strikingwheel operable by the train, and a governingarmconnected with the Vdetent and disposed forcoperation with thestriking-Wheel to govern the cooperation of the detent and detentdisk,said striking-Wheel being movable independently of the train for returnmovement after each operation without operating the circuit-closer.

2. A device of the class described comprising a train of gearing and amovable circuitclosing member in operative relation thereto, adetent-disk operatively connected with the train, a detent for engagingthe detent-disk to stop the operation of the train, a striking- Wheeloperable by the train, and a governingarm connected with the detent anddisposed for cooperation with the striking-Wheel to govern thecooperation of the detent and detentdisk, said striking-wheel beingmounted for movement independently of the train, whereby it may bereturned after each operative movement and without operating thecircuitcloser.

A device of the class described comprising a train of gearing includinga circuitcloser-operating wheel, a detent-disk operatively 'connectedwith the train, a detent for engaging the detent-disk to stop theoperation of the train, a striking-wheel operable by the train andhaving radial slots separated by an interspace corresponding to theangular operative movement of the circuitcloser-operating Wheel, agoverning-arm connected with the detent and disposed in oper- IOO IIO

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ative relation to the striking-Wheel to enter the slots of thestriking-Wheel and permit engagement of the detent with the detent-disk,means for limiting the angular movement of the striking-wheel to alinethe slots alternately With the engaging portion of the governing-arm,said striking-Wheel being movable independently of the train, and amovable circuit-closing member in operative relation to thecircnit-closer-operating Wheel.

4. A device of the class described comprising a train of gearingincluding a master-gear havingrpins, a rock-lever in the path ofmovement of the pins for operation thereby, a contact-arm connected withthe lever, a contactplate with which the arm is in normal contact, adetent-disk connected with the train, a detent for engagement with thedisk, a striking-Wheel for operation by the train, a governing-armconnected with the detent and disposed for cooperation with thestriking- Wheel to govern the cooperation of the detent and detent-disk,a release-lever connected With the arm and detent to move themsimultaneously from the striking-wheel and disk, and a push-rod having acam forengagement With the release-lever to operate it.

5. A device of the class described comprising a casing having areversible door supporting a train of gearing including a mastergearhaving pins, a rock-lever in the path of movement of the pins foroperation thereby, a contact-arm connected With the lever, acontact-plate with which the arm is in normal contact, a detent'd iskconnected with the train, a detent for engaging the disk, astriking-wheel in operative relation 'to the train, a governing-armconnected with the detent and disposed for coperation with thestriking-Wheel to govern the coperation of the detent and thedetent-disk, a release-lever connected with the arm and detent to movethem from their engaging positions, and a push-rod for operating therelease-arm, the striking-Wheel being movable independently of thetrain, whereby it may be returned after each operative movement when thedetent and governing-arm are raised from their engaging positions.

6. A device of the class described comprisinga train of gearing havingoperative connection with a movable circuit-closing mem- 'ber andincluding a striking-Wheel having a limited movement and means fordriving the train, means operated by the train for intermittentengagement and disengagement with respect to the stri king-Wheel topermit movement thereof step by step, said means being adapted to restin engagement with the striking-Wheel to lock the train againstoperation when the striking-wheel is at one limit of its movement, andmeans for stopping the striking-wheel at the opposite limit of itsmovement. I

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of Witnesses.

REASON C. LIVINGSTON. Witnesses:

R. J. PARKER, J. B. VIALL, FAY B. VIALL.

